Our Human Resources Blog

It’s been quite a week in the Washington DC/Baltimore area!  First a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck and now a major hurricane is expected to hit with extreme impact over the weekend. While the earthquake caused minimal damage, it reminded us all how important it is for both individuals and businesses alike to be prepared for emergency situations.

Preparedness has taken on a new meaning this week. Not only do employers need to plan ahead to provide for the safety of their employees, they also need to support the continuity of their business operations.

Now is the time for organizations to create or revise their emergency preparedness plans in order to get ready for unforeseen events and minimize the disruptions it may cause to their business.

 An Emergency Preparedness Plan should establish the following priorities: 

• Establish the type of emergencies that might affect your organization.
• Protect the safety and well being of your employees.
• Protect the physical assets of  your business including data such as, financial records, databases and  personnel files.
• Provide a continuity plan for keeping your organization functioning and/or resuming normal operations as soon as possible. 

Some additional recommendations for your plan include: 

• Put your plan in writing and communicate it to all employees.
• Conduct drills regularly to prepare employees.
• Update your employee contact information regularly.
• Identify critical employees and make sure they understand what’s expected of them during an emergency.
• Develop a plan that allows your payroll, benefits, and HR functions to continue during any period in which access to your workplace is restricted.
• Designate employees to be responsible for receiving calls, e-mails, and messages from other employees, as well as communicating important information and updates about the business to workers.
• Keep your company’s leadership visible and in charge.  

For additional information, please go to www.ready.gov/business.